A proposal on how to apply the balanced scorecard to the collective investment managerial firms

lity. Consequently these firms need to reformulate their strategic forecast for the next years. This need arises, among other factors, from the collapse of global financial markets, progressive liberalizations in tax and company regulation and the evolution in information technology. Collective investments are very appealing for small investors, as they allow them to benefit from the skills of a professional management, as well as to spread different risks with a diversified portfolio in the different mutual funds. Nevertheless in moments of crisis such as the world is experiencing now, the great volatility of markets and capital losses clearly offset the attractiveness of the portfolio management. The starting point is to take into account the new scenario now developing in collective investment management firms: increasing competence, less captive clients, a more independent sales force, and decrease in their P&L account. With this background we propose to use a planning tool that, in the last ten years, has proven itself to be a great help in improving the management of the firms. The aim is to identify their core activities in order to define a better strategy, gain new clients, and improve the quality of their services. The final purpose is to increase their return on investment. Taking into account all the above mentioned reasons we have considered the collective investment management firms in Spain a good field to apply Balanced Scorecard as a device to improve management control . In our research paper, we propose a balanced scorecard model, exploring three possible strategic scenarios, together with an operating simulation of this device with a five years´scope for these type of firms. To obtain this model we have used dynamic systems theory and other information technology instruments.

La docencia en contabilidad analítica y el apoyo de la virtualización en el Marco del Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior

En estos momentos, España está inmersa en un proceso de reforma total de la enseñanza universitaria en el marco del denominado "Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior y de Investigación". La finalidad es conseguir una convergencia de las titulaciones europeas hacia una estructura común que permita las oportunas convalidaciones para agilizar la movilidad estudiantil y profesional en el marco de consolidar el concepto de Unión Europea en la mentalidad de sus ciudadanos. El anterior proceso presenta características particulares dado que, además de reformar la estructura de las titulaciones, obliga a dar un vuelco completo a los tradicionales métodos concretado en las siguientes innovaciones: Pasar de un modelo docente basado en la clase magistral a otro basado el método del aprendizaje; medir la docencia basada en horas de trabajo del estudiante y no en las horas de clase del profesor y la irrupción con fuerza de las nuevas tecnologías en la educación, lo que obliga a nuevos replanteamientos tanto en el método docente como en la relación y comunicación entre estudiante y profesor. Este artículo pretende describir una experiencia al aplicar estas innovaciones en contabilidad analítica, que es extrapolable a las restantes de Contabilidad preguntándose ¿Cómo aplicar el método del aprendizaje? ¿Cuáles y como aplicar los instrumentos tecnológicos (TIC)?, ¿Con qué estructura y contenidos se debe diseñar una herramienta informática práctica?Currently Spain is undergoing a process of total reform of the University Education under the so-called "European Higher Education Area". The aim is to achieve a convergence of the European degrees into a common structure that allows appropriate validations to motivate student and professional mobility in the context of consolidating the concept of European Union in the minds of its ot1zens. The above process has specific characteristics because in addition to reforming the qualifications structure it requires a complete turn around of the traditional teaching-learning methods. This reform takes into account the following innovations: a change from an educational model based on the teacher lecture- based to a learning methodology based on student work hours and the burst of the new information technologies as a basic aid in education. These innovations require both rethinking the new teaching methodology as the relationship and communication between student and teacher. This research article aims to describe an experience in applying these innovations in cost accounting, which can be extrapolated to the rest of the Accounting subjects wondering how to apply the learning methodology? What and how to apply the lnformation and Technology tools (ICT)? and How must a software tool be designed and implemented to balance the course syllabus

Agri-environmental indicators in the management of farms: the Spanish case

The current reform of the EC Agricultural Policy decouples subsidies from production and introduces the new concept of “eco-conditionality” which makes the receipt of subsidies contingent on compliance with a number of environmental standards. This reform, put in place by the Commission, involves a high risk that the cultivation of some Mediterranean products will be abandoned. Their producers will have to meet the challenge of competitiveness and avail themselves of appropriate mechanisms such as codes of good agricultural practices and the application of efficient management systems. The existence of a framework of indicators helps to strengthen the financial and management control of farms, something which is indispensable in periods of crisis, while allowing the policy of change to be monitored. Our research work is based on such indicators, and aims to provide a framework of key performance indicators that will enable producer groups to analyse the technical, economic, and environmental aspects of their farms. We believe that the performance indicators we propose will help farmers to meet and assess requirements concerning the respect and improvement of the environment, and the pursuit of quality, sustainable farming, and competitiveness. Permanent monitoring of these indicators will also enable benchmarking to be carried out among farms and will provide a tool that will promote continuous improvement in the financial and agricultural management of farms. We believe that this scenario calls for the definition of agri-environmental policies based on cause-action-effect relationships between agriculture and the environment, with a view to achieving a continuous improvement in the system

La docencia en contabilidad analítica y el apoyo de la virtualización en el Marco del Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior

En estos momentos, España está inmersa en un proceso de reforma total de la enseñanza universitaria en el marco del denominado "Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior y de Investigación". La finalidad es conseguir una convergencia de las titulaciones europeas hacia una estructura común que permita las oportunas convalidaciones para agilizar la movilidad estudiantil y profesional en el marco de consolidar el concepto de Unión Europea en la mentalidad de sus ciudadanos. El anterior proceso presenta características particulares dado que, además de reformar la estructura de las titulaciones, obliga a dar un vuelco completo a los tradicionales métodos concretado en las siguientes innovaciones: Pasar de un modelo docente basado en la clase magistral a otro basado el método del aprendizaje; medir la docencia basada en horas de trabajo del estudiante y no en las horas de clase del profesor y la irrupción con fuerza de las nuevas tecnologías en la educación, lo que obliga a nuevos replanteamientos tanto en el método docente como en la relación y comunicación entre estudiante y profesor. Este artículo pretende describir una experiencia al aplicar estas innovaciones en contabilidad analítica, que es extrapolable a las restantes de Contabilidad preguntándose ¿Cómo aplicar el método del aprendizaje? ¿Cuáles y como aplicar los instrumentos tecnológicos (TIC)?, ¿Con qué estructura y contenidos se debe diseñar una herramienta informática práctica?Currently Spain is undergoing a process of total reform of the University Education under the so-called "European Higher Education Area". The aim is to achieve a convergence of the European degrees into a common structure that allows appropriate validations to motivate student and professional mobility in the context of consolidating the concept of European Union in the minds of its ot1zens. The above process has specific characteristics because in addition to reforming the qualifications structure it requires a complete turn around of the traditional teaching-learning methods. This reform takes into account the following innovations: a change from an educational model based on the teacher lecture- based to a learning methodology based on student work hours and the burst of the new information technologies as a basic aid in education. These innovations require both rethinking the new teaching methodology as the relationship and communication between student and teacher. This research article aims to describe an experience in applying these innovations in cost accounting, which can be extrapolated to the rest of the Accounting subjects wondering how to apply the learning methodology? What and how to apply the lnformation and Technology tools (ICT)? and How must a software tool be designed and implemented to balance the course syllabus

E-government implementation : transparency, accessibility and usability of government websites

peerReviewe

A eficácia informativa da demonstração do valor adicionado

O cenário mundial contemporâneo vem sendo caracterizado por significativas mudanças nas áreas social, política e econômica, com reflexos diretos no ambiente empresarial, através da imposição de novos padrões de competitividade e uma necessidade de alterações nos processos de trabalho e nas práticas de gestão. Neste contexto, a informação contábil tradicional não responde totalmente às demandas novas dos usuários com interesses diferentes daqueles contemplados nos relatórios contábeis clássicos. A Demonstração do Valor Adicionado é parte integrante deste novo grupo de relatórios desenvolvidos pela contabilidade para assistir melhor essas necessidades emergentes, visando, principalmente, a evidenciar o papel social das empresas, apresentando claramente a riqueza gerada, para que toda a sociedade conheça sua função positiva na criação de valor para a comunidade. Este trabalho apresenta aspectos relacionados ao valor adicionado pela atividade empresarial e analisa a importância deste relatório ao facilitar o entendimento da informação sócio-econômica sobre a companhia e sua relação com o ambiente onde está localizada.<br>Nowadays, the global environment is characterized by significant changes in the social, political and economic areas with direct impacts on managerial activities, through the imposition of new patterns of competitiveness and a need to change work processes and managerial practices. In this context, the traditional accounting information does not totally attend the users' new demands, whose interests are different from those contemplated in the traditional accounting reports. The Value Added Statement is part of this new group of accounting reports created to attend to those emerging needs in a better way, mainly seeking to disclose companies' social activities, clearly presenting the generated wealth so that the whole society knows about the its positive function in the creation of value for the community. This paper presents aspects related to the value added by enterprises and analyzes the importance of this report in making it easier to understand socioeconomic information about the company and its relationship with the environment in which it is located